Dear Santa
by N.V.9
Summary: A separation of a family, over a long period of time, will either bring them closer together or tear them farther apart. COMPLETE


**Look toward profile/bio for disclaimer and anything else involving this story. **

"Are you nervous?"

It took a few minutes for the words to register in his head. A little bit longer for him to remember he needed to answer. "Yeah." he whispered, afraid if he spoke too loud he'd wake himself from a dream.

"Don't be," the other chuckled.

"It's been five years." he said just as softly. "Five years since I've been home... what if-"

"Everything's going to be fine, Lieutenant. They'll love you as much, or more than when you left."

"Can you be sure?"

"My own love cherished me more the second I stepped through our door. He refused to leave my side, I felt like a babe being cared for by his mother. Our children couldn't leave me alone." at this, the Captain laughed again, "They would follow me into the bathroom, it took some time before they'd leave me in there in peace."

"How old are they?"

"My first is now ten, my second is seven." the other smiled softly. "One looks like their mother and one like me."

"Mine are young, the oldest only two when I left. The youngest was one and then the child I never even met, he was born six months after I left." the first sighed tiredly, feeling the ache in his heart again. What if his friend was wrong? What if they filled his place with someone else? What if his love had moved on, only staying with him because of their vows? "Now my oldest is seven, and the youngest is four..."

"Naruto, we have been friends for many years, correct?" the man said, droping titles completely.

"Yes," Naruto nodded, looking toward the eerily calm man beside him, only just now noticing that his language had cleaned itself up and the more calmer relaxed state his friend was in. It was almost contagious, and Naruto wished to gain the serenity that stubbernly stayed clear of his reach.

"I have been in the army for over fifteen years, joined when I was seventeen-"

"Hidan, I'm not looking for a history of your life in service." Naruto sighed, not wanting to hear about the man go on and on. Nor compare the amount of years each had been in, Naruto only being in it eight, joining when he was eighteen himself. At the time it was his only result. The love of his life was three months pregnant and Naruto had no future to provide for his growing family. The day he learned of his child to be, Naruto had gone over everything he had accomplished in his eighteen years and found he had done nothing to make his future child proud. Joining the army was a privilage and one he didn't regret. When he came back from training from both Forts, both he and his lover married and on that day they concieved their second child. They were happy with life. He was proud to claim fathership to his children. Proud to claim his lover as his wife.

He was proud to fight for his country. And fight he did. When he gained the call to head out, Naruto had held his crying lover in his arms. Loving him as if it was the last time he'd ever see him. For three months, he memorized everything his little family did. From his oldest son, Kurama, with his wild blonde hair, looking like a clone of Naruto. To his second child, Madara, a baby that resembled his mama. And Sasuke, he made sure that his hands, his heart, and his mind kept everything he knew about his little bird forever engraved within himself. Of Izuna, his youngest boy, he knew little save for what Sasuke wrote in the letters and the pictures he recieved. His baby boy an exact replica of his mama more so then Madara. Many of those letters had small attachments of his children's letters, when they learned to write, and pictures, saying hello and random things that they wanted to write about. Naruto kept each of their letters and pictures on him at all times. He reread them constantly to the point where he could resite word for word of what they all said.

He always ran his eyes over the 'I love you' parts, smiling gently as he imagined his children concentrating as they wrote it in thick letters. He couldn't wait to to see them but at the same time he feared he would fall short in the image they had of him.

"I'm not giving you history," Hidan glared at him, sitting beside him on the truck that was taking them to the airport. Both of them were going home. Naruto was planning on going home for good. He had done his duty, fought for his country and his loved ones, would have continue to do so if he could but the bullet to the leg, -hitting his thigh bone and fraying nerves, and another barely missing making him a new hole in his back end- had ended his career for the time being, leaving him to heal in a hospital for three months before being sent home. Even now, he had to sit on a cushion to ease the ache on his ass, and there was no way he was using a cane. He had some dignity left after the ass wound. Becoming the butt of everyones jokes and if he used a cane he would never hear the end of it. In a way, Naruto was happy with this. It meant that he could spend the rest of his life with his family and never worry about when he would next see them. Of course this couldn't have happened at a better time since his service was almost up. By the time he was completely healed, it would already be done and waiting to see if he'd sign up again or not.

Hidan was going home too, but Naruto knew the Captain would be back again. As soon as his own bullet wound healed, he'd be back. He knew Hidan would continue to keep coming back so long as he could walk.

"Then by all means," Naruto smirked, wishing he could release the fear building inside of him. He was more afraid to go home then he had been on his last mission, and the last mission was one he wished to forget.

"I should smack you silly, boy." Hidan said, adjusting his wounded arm in the sling. "But I won't. Now as I was saying, in the fifteen years I've been part of this fight. I've gone home quite a few times, and each time, my Haku has welcomed me back with open arms. He showers me with attention. My children, even if I've only seen them for a lot less then half of their lives in person, treat me like I'm the best man in the world. They love me endlessly, each always trying to outdo eachother to speak to me first. Never once had they looked at me as if I was a stranger. And like you, my youngest boy was born after I left. Two weeks exactly. But when I came home, he was already three and do you know what he did? He threw his arms around my legs, calling me daddy and telling me he missed me so much. Now this was a boy that had never met me, but already he loved me."

Naruto nodded but said nothing, his mind returning to the last picture he recieved. A wallet size family portrait that he wasn't a part of. Would his family be the same? How much had they changed? How much of before was no longer what he remembered?

"What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid that they won't be the same as when I left." Naruto answered honestly.

"No one stays the same."

"I'm afraid that they will treat me like a stranger and that...that they won't accept me. I'm afraid that my wife will no longer love me. That my children won't love me. I'm afraid that I've already lost them to someone else."

"If that happens," Hidan said after a while, like Naruto, knowing very much that that could be a possibility, "You always have my home to come to. Haku has always wanted to meet you. The children already call you Uncle Naruto."

Chuckling at that, Naruto turned his calmer, older blue eyes -where once they were filled with mischief and innocents- toward his Captain. He had been assigned to Hidan's team almost from day one. He along with his five comrads had become as close as brothers, with Hidan as the oldest one that kept them in line as he pushed it farther away. "I believe they call the rest of us all uncles, as you've said many times over." he said speaking of the other five and himself.

"Yes, but you're the favorite." Hidan shrugged, a shift in his face the only sign of the discomfort at doing so.

"Let us hope I'm the favorite at home too." Naruto said, taking a breath and leaning his head against the seat. Please love me, he thought, just please love me.

' \ . |_| . / '

"This Christmas is going to be the best one ever!" Madara declared as he practically jumped in his seat next to Sasuke. The excitement at seeing his dad again making it impossible to sit still. "Santa knew what I wanted before I asked!" he went on, gaining grins from strangers as they too waited for loved ones and friends.

"Mom, when is he going to get here?" Kurama demanded as he pressed his face and hands against the glass window, separating them from people arriving at the terminal. Right beside him was his brother Izuna, his eyes barely peeking over the metal railing as he clutched a little stuffed grey and white dog in his arms.

Sasuke smiled softly at that. Izuna had never touched that dog when it was given to him three years ago. Had completely ignored it in favor of a tattered red and brown fox, that had more repairs then most people would have given it. Sasuke remembered the day his baby boy had seen it. Not even a week old and Izuna had cried nonstop. No matter how much Sasuke rocked him, held him, sung to him, Izuna wouldn't stop crying. He continued on and on as if the world wasn't listening.

It was Kurama who had come in, carrying the little fox, which had been in better condition then, like it was made of glass. The second Izuna's eyes had landed on the fox, he had wanted it. The crying had ceased immeditatly as the fox was placed near him, and he never cried after that unless the fox was out of his view.

At first Sasuke had been dismayed. He didn't want anyone to touch the fox. It was his husband's, put away with the rest of Naruto's things in the extra room, turned office, when Sasuke would cry at anything that was Naruto's. Being pregnant hadn't helped matters much either. So to try and make it through the years without his husband, worrying for him everyday of the last five years, Sasuke had put everything that Naruto had loved and kept from his childhood in one room. Only going in there when he missed his husband like crazy and wanted to be closer to him, and to dust and clean as he imagined Naruto using everything within the room.

Only two weeks ago, when Sasuke learned his husband was coming home, had Izuna placed it gently on the desk, in the room it had once graced, and started carrying around the dog. When Sasuke had asked why, Izuna had told him that he didn't want Daddy to be mad at him for having it and that he was going to ask Santa for it for Christmas. Saying that Santa always gave you want you wanted.

Sasuke had asked why he didn't just ask his Daddy, and Izuna's reply was that 'Daddy might still love it and not want me to have it, so Santa was going to give it to me'. Laughing at that, Sasuke just shook his head and let his son be, watching as Izuna would longingly look at the closed door of the office as his arms sqeezed tighter around the unwanted dog.

"His plane will land in fifteen minutes, Kurama." Sasuke answered his son. Of course Sasuke was getting tired of waiting too. He wanted Naruto home with them. Wanted to be able to hold his husband and never have to worry about letting go. He wanted to see his husband so badly that they had arrived two hours ago to wait for him. It was stupid to do so, but Sasuke couldn't wait at home anymore, this need for Naruto almost consuming him completely. The letters he kept beside his bed bed only doing so much to bring him closer to his husband.

"That's so far away." Kurama pouted, letting his arms fall to his side, his forehead leaning against the glass as he saw other people greeting and hugging the people they wanted to see. It wasn't fair that they got their people and his dad was still out of reach. He waited longer then all of them combined!

"I hope he likes us." Madara whispered to Sasuke, taking his hand as he did so. "Will he like us, Mom?"

"He'll love you, Madara." Sasuke answered. "He's told you so, many times in his letters in fact."

"But that's the old us. We're older now. What if he don't like us?"

"Madara, he'll love you no matter how old you are." Sasuke reassured, smiling at the look of relief that overcame his son.

"He's going to play ball with me, huh Mama?" Izuna asked, turning around and climbing into Sasuke's lap. "And teach me how to ride a bike, right? And take me to the park, and the zoo, and build snowmen with me, and he's going to read me stories, and watch movies with me, huh Mama? And scare away the monsters for me, right Mama?"

"Yes, Izuna," Sasuke smiled hugging his son close. "He'll do all that and more with all of you."

"Do you think he'll go to my karate practice?" Kurama asked, moving to join his mom. "Nibi's dad goes to hers. She says her dad's the coolest, but I know mine is better. Her dad sales cars for a living, mine protects lives. I told her so and she says I'm lying." the little blonde pouted, wanting to show Nibi up. He couldn't stand her, always standing so close to him and taunting him. She always got mad when Kurama talked to other people, mostly the girls that wouldn't leave him alone. Kurama wanted nothing to do with girls, they were all gross and stuff. They weren't natural. His older cousin, Shisui, even said so, and Shisui was already ten and knew a lot more then Kurama did. Shisui said the only exception to the girl rule was their Grandmama Mikoto, his Granny Kushina, and sometimes Shisui's little, annoying, four year old sister, Suiren.

"I'm sure he'd love to go with you," Sasuke smiled down at his oldest son, knowing the great hatred he had for the little girl. Someday he knew that Kurama would be singing a different tune when he was old enough to understand. It might not be for Nibi, but his eyes would open for someone. "You could even teach him some karate."

"Mom," Kurama rolled his eyes, "Dad probably already knows all of this by now. He's a solider and all soliders can fight."

Laughing at that, Sasuke turned his gaze toward the screen above their heads. With a gasp, he realized that Naruto's flight had just arrived. "He's here." he said quickly, looking toward the glass window. "Remember, be on your best behavior. Keep the noise down so that your dad can relax after being gone so long, and no fighting." The last might be a challenge. Kurama hated to be bossed around and Madara loved to boss him around. Then Izuna would always side with Madara unless Kurama threatened Fox.

"Okay." all three boys nodded as they moved quickly to the window, each jumping in place as if they had ants in their pants.

Taking a deep breath of his own, Sasuke ran a hand down his shirt and through his hair. He felt nervous, his stomach had butterflies, and god he was so excited, so happy, he just wanted to cry. Licking his lips, Sasuke moved the children to stand by the door and waited. It didn't take long before people started filing their way towards them. Within the mass, Sasuke saw everyone from old to young and those in the middle. Some were tired, some laughing, others just looking as if they wanted to be anywhere else but there. When the crowd began to thin, Sasuke felt like lead had taken the place of his heart when Naruto had yet to make an appearance.

"Mama?" Izuna said, taking his hand.

"Just a little longer, Izuna." Sasuke said, forcing a smile as the crowd completely disappeared, leaving no one in their wake.

"Do you think he forgot about us?" Madara asked softly, his shoulders slumped in defeat.

"Not at all, there must be something that's keeping him busy." Sasuke reassured them all, standing right beside them as five minutes turned to ten and then twenty. When a half hour had gone by, Sasuke just wanted to start bawling, screaming about the unfairness of it all, but for his children, he kept a smile on his face, telling them that it'll be just a little bit longer.

Did he get the wrong day? What if it was p.m. and not a.m., that he was going to be arriving? What if Naruto had missed his flight and was trying to reach Sasuke at home? What if- "Naruto..." he whispered softly as his husband came into view, wearing his uniform proudly as he carried an army duffle bag at his side, his hat clutched in his other hand. The limp not even taking away from the perfect image.

It didn't take long for the children to notice the lone man walking toward them, each of the three boys straightening up quickly, their eyes wide as they moved closer to Sasuke.

It took all that Sasuke had to not just run and jump Naruto. To not just kiss him like there was no tomorrow. It took so much willpower on his part to stand behind his children and wait for Naruto to cross the red line that would give them free reign to hug him.

In ten long strides, that Sasuke had mentally counted, Naruto was in front of him, standing there with a smile on his face, looking his age for once and not like the little boy that he was teased about being. Sasuke would like to see Naruto's friends and Itachi tease him about being skinny now. Naruto wasn't the same highschool boy that Sasuke had dated. This was his husband now.

"Hello," Naruto rasped, his voice even deeper if possible, sending shivers down Sasuke's back.

"Hello," Sasuke whispered, wanting to start crying and blubbering over Naruto, but refained himself by standing still in front of his husband. "Welcome home." he offered just as softly.

With a grin on his face, Naruto stepped forward, dropping his bag on the floor, and wrapped his own strong arms around him, pulling him close. "It's good to be home." Naruto said into his ear, kissing his cheek. "I've missed you, little bird."

Sasuke nodded, unable to speak with the clog in his throat at the familiar nick-name, hugging Naruto back, stunned by the muscle that he felt beneath the uniform. No longer that of a lanky teen but of a full grown man. Would he get used to this Naruto? Yes, because this was his Naruto.

It took a while for him to even form a sentence. "What took so long? Was everything okay?"

"Everything was fine," Naruto answered, pulling back, his smile still on his face, looking as if it would never come off. This was the Naruto Sasuke remembered. The man that couldn't stop smiling if he tried. That laughed all the time and just enjoyed life as each day came by. This was his Naruto that he had fallen so madly in love with. "This uniform causes quite a ruckus." Naruto answered, running a hand through his hair as he looked down at their boys. "They've grown." he said in awe, just watching them.

"Say hello, boys." Sasuke reminded them, when each of them stayed as silent as an unmoving wind.

"'ello." Kurama whispered so softly Sasuke barely heard him.

"Hello, Kurama." Naruto grinned, his eyes shining with surpressed tears. "Last time I saw you, you were so little, running around like your life depended on it. You look like me when I was your age."

"Okay." Kurama nodded, shaking his dad's hand timidly, when his dad offered it. He always imagined his dad, and what he looked like. He had even seen pictures that were sent to them, but never in his life did Kurama imagine his dad would be so big. He was like a mountain! His dad practically touched the sky! Was he going to get that big too? He hoped so, he wanted to be as big as his dad. He'd like to see what Nibi would say when his dad came with him to karate class.

"Madara," Naruto went on, wishing he could kneel and hug them all close to his chest, but two things stopped him. It hurt to bend or kneel at all, and all of them looked... afraid of him. Each of them clinging to Sasuke's legs with wide eyes. He told himself it was because none of them knew him, that they had to get used to him. He told himself that he expected this and that it shouldn't hurt as much as it did. "Look at you. I remember feeding you a bottle as we watched things on tv that we weren't supposed to, when your mom was gone."

"Oh," Madara said, reaching to shake Naruto's hand just as quickly as Kurama did. The fears of his dad not liking him still front and center in his mind as he looked at the big man that was his dad. He wanted his dad to love him, but what if he didn't? What if his Dad thought he was a loser? Or a nerd? A lot of people in his class thought he was a nerd because he knew how to read, not the big words, but enough to get him by... but what if his Dad thought he was a nerd too? Would his dad love him? What if he didn't want too? Then I'll make him, Madara decided. I'll be the best boy in the world and his dad had to love him!

"Izuna..." Naruto said, reaching out his hand only to let it drop by his side when Izuna hid more behind Sasuke's legs.  
"Izuna..." Sasuke started.

"No, it's alright." Naruto answered, forcing his grin in place. "He looks like you. A little replica."

"So everyone says." Sasuke agreed distractedly, frowning down at their youngest son, not seeing the quick look that passed over Naruto's face.

"You guys ready to go? I'm sure you're tired of being here already." Naruto went on quickly, reaching down slowly to lift his bag, flinching slightly as the muscle pulled around both bullet wounds. Damn but his ass hurt more then his leg. The most embarrasing way to go home... Especially with his brothers at arms laughing their asses off in the recovery room.

"Alright, do you have any other bags?" Sasuke asked him, taking Izuna's hand and leading them all to the baggage claims.

"Yeah, one more." Naruto said walking beside him, ignoring the growing ache as his children walked closer to Sasuke. Peeking up at him quickly before looking away. "So tell me how've you been." he said to Sasuke, knowing at least one person was happy to see him.

"Same as always." Sasuke said, not wanting to talk about himself. He wanted to talk about his husband. Wanted to hear him speak, to see the expressions crossing his face as they once did before with each sentence he uttered. He knew the last was almost impossible now, his husband was hard to read now, but he could still hear his voice. He loved hearing Naruto's voice as they talked a few minutes on the phone. It was deeper and more sexy in person.

"I see." Naruto nodded, making Sasuke frown slightly when he said no more. Instead his beautiful blue eyes seemed to be taking everything in, to be filing it all away for some unknown reason. It wasn't long before they made it to baggage claims, the crowd of before already gone, leaving one lone army green duffle bag to circle slowly around the island. Without a word, Naruto moved toward it, reaching it before it passed them, and easily tossing it over one shoulder. "Okay, lead the way." Naruto smiled at them.

"Do you need help?" Sasuke asked knowing those bags were probably really heavy, and that they must be putting some strain on his leg. He didn't want to think about how his husband was hurt, nor what hurt him. Just the thought scared him. He knew if he thought too closely on it, he'd start bawling like he did when he found out about both wounds. He knew Naruto found one embarrasing, but to Sasuke, each one was just as terrifying as if they were piercing the heart.

"Not at all, I've got this." Naruto shook his head.

Biting his lip, Sasuke nodded and lead them toward the exit. On the way, Naruto was stopped a few times by strangers, thanking him and asking him all kinds of questions. Each one saying that they were glad to have him home when the conversations ended. In that moment, Sasuke realized that complete strangers had longer converstations with his husband then he did. That Naruto spoke easily to them, telling every single one that it was an honor to serve and that no one needed to thank him for him doing his duty.

One man had even offered to carry his bags, but Naruto once more refused aid. When they finally exited the building, Sasuke was surprised to see Naruto pausing just outside the door, placing his bag on the floor, and pulling on his hat, making sure it fit right. Just as quickly as he did that, his bag was back in his hand and he was once more on the move. To Sasuke it seemed like an unconscious move, like his body automatically reacted.

Shaking his head, Sasuke quickly followed Naruto, leading them toward the elevator for the garage. Two floors up and six rows in, they came to a charcol black Ford Flex. With a beep from his hand, the car was unlocked.

"What happened to the four door?" Naruto frowned, looking at the car in confusion.

"It wasn't really running well and kept breaking down." Sasuke explained, slightly guilty since Naruto and he had bought the four door together, it being their first family car as they traded in both of their own.

Nodding, Naruto simply opened the back and set both bags in as Sasuke opened the side doors and the boys each buckled themselves within their booster seats.

"Want me to drive?"

"No, I'll do it." Sasuke answered as he hopped into the driver side and waited for Naruto to come in, once more missing the look his husband sent him. A few minutes later, Naruto joined him in his seat after placing a cushion beneath him. "Ready?"

"Yeah..."

' \ . |_| . / '

Looking around the house, Naruto frowned when nothing looked the same, save for the structure of the house. The furniture was new, the walls were painted a different color and no longer the pale blue he remembered painting them. The floor was no longered tiled and the stairs to the second floor had changed as well. "You remodled." he finally said after looking around the house, finding nothing that signified that he lived there.

"Yeah," Sasuke smiled as he nodded at the house, looking pleased. "Itachi, Suigetsu, and Pain helped me. We did the whole house over three years ago."

"It's...beautiful." Naruto said for lack of a better word. He hadn't lied, the house was beautiful, everything in place and so like what Sasuke would have wanted. There was no little table filled with clutter or a bowl filled with unopened letters. All the little nic-nacks he had found and bought when he was here were no longer gracing any shelves or tables. It was like he had been completely erased from this place.

"Want to see the rest?" Sasuke asked him as the children went and sat on the couch.

"Alright." Naruto nodded, and began the torturous tour. With each room that they looked in, his heart broke a little bit more. Nothing in any of the rooms they had seen showed anything of his. Everything was gone, replaced by something else. Pictures of him weren't on the walls, which he understood completely since the majority of them were of the kids.

Once they had gone through the downstairs, Sasuke lead him up the new stairway and showed him the rest. From the boys bedrooms, to Sasuke's own. Again, Naruto felt like an outcast when his wife's bedroom showed only Sasuke's personality. Not even he could grace this room. Had Sasuke moved on then? Had he lost his wife and had yet to be told? Surely Sasuke would have said something by now.

"And this is your office," Sasuke said, a grin in place as he pushed open the door and stepped back for Naruto to see. With a guarded expression, Naruto walked forward and paused at the entrance. All around the office were the things he had yet to see, hidden away in the corner of the house. He found every little item that he had loved and kept over the years piled away within. There were shelves lining the walls filled with his belongings. The desk in front of the window carried more frames facing the window and his little fox that he had since he was a child, sitting dead center on a desk. But unlike his memory, this one looked worse. The fox's eye was sewed in a few times, one ear chewed at the end. It's front leg had been sewn in four differen places and it was thinner too. The tail was shorter and bald. The nose was gone and the soft fur that once covered it was now flatten or missing in patches. Seeing it like that hurt a whole lot. More so then one would think.

"I thought this would be a great place to put everything," Sasuke was saying, "I know how you love everything and I thought you'd love to see it all in one place. But In a few weeks..." whatever else he said went unheard. All Naruto could see was his life placed within the corner room in the back of the house. Everything he ever loved was unloved by someone else. He had been swept away, and it was only a matter of time before he ended up here too.

Maybe he could try and win his family back. Maybe he could show them that he loved them and that he could be loved as well. That he wouldn't fail as a spouse or a parent and that he'd do everything to protect them. Maybe he could find a way back into their hearts again.

"So?" Sasuke said, looking at him expectantly.

"It's nice." Naruto answered, forcing a smile and turning to face him. "Feels comfortable and the memories are flying around like crazy." He lied, gaining an even bigger grin from Sasuke. "I think I'm going to sit in here a while and just remember." Remember when he knew that he was loved, he thought to himself.

"Okay, I'm going to get started on dinner. Oh and tomorrow we're going to your parents for a welcome home party." Sasuke nodded as he walked out of the office. Moments later, Naruto heard his footsteps on the stairs and then the sounds of pans being moved.

Turning back toward the fox on his desk, Naruto lifted him gently, afraid it would tear on him. "Were you forgotten too?" he asked it, holding it close to his face as he ignored the single tear that fell down his face.

' \ . |_| . / '

Naruto felt out of place. His friends and family treated him like he was fine china. They didn't joke around like they used to. Or maybe he had changed more then he thought. Everything was like oil in water. It all touched but didn't mingle.

To him, the house even felt tense. Like everyone was watching their step. The children were too quiet. Each of them steering clear of him completely. He tried many times over the last two weeks to connect to them, to show them that he loved them to the point of breaking. He tried playing their games with them, watching tv with them, helping Kurama and Madara with their homework, he tried talking about Christmas and what they wanted, but all of his ideas were sent away with a shake of their heads. Izuna avoided him like the plague, either leaving the room if no one else was in there when Naruto entered, or holding on closer to whoever was in there.

It hurt like a bitch, knowing his kids didn't love him, didn't want him. Knowing that they were always watching what they did or said when he was around. He heard them when they thought he wasn't around, just before he entered a room. All of them were always laughing or playing and just being kids. It only took two days of him entering a room when they were playing to realize that they would always shut down. Now a days he let them be, if he heard them playing, he would no longer enter the room. He'd just listen for a few minutes before he turned and walked back to his office.

He remembered when he bought a cart full of toys. With a help from one of the workers at the toy store, he had picked out the best, noisest, brightest toys he could find. He had even asked some children for aid, gaining sympathy looks from the dads as the kids went on and on about the toys, and awes from the moms at hearing why he needed their opinion. The kids had been a lot more help then the worker as they dragged him around the stores, and threw everything that caught their attention in his basket. He had thanked the two families that helped him, when his cart was full, and had tried to repay them for their help with a toy but the parents weren't having none of that. Each saying that they had already repayed him by fighting for them.

On the way home, he had been so filled with pride at himself, finally being able to connect with his kids. He thought for sure it would help but when he unloaded the Ford and taken in all of the toys. Sasuke had been stunned, telling him he shouldn't have bought them, and the boys refused to play with them. Even as he tried to show them how each one worked, having seen the children showing him first in the store, his sons refused to join. He knew they loved toys, but he realized it was toys from him that they didn't love, especially when he had seen them from his office when Suigetsu, Sasuke's childhood friend, had brought them a little box of cars a piece.

When Sasuke went to Itachi's to pick up something Deidara had borrowed the same day, taking the boys with him, Naruto had packed up all of the toys to take them back, using the extra truck that his dad had given him for a welcome home present the day after he arrived, instead he had stopped at a toys for tots bin and left them. .

Sasuke had asked what he had done with the toys, and Naruto had simply dismissed his question with another of his own, changing the subject.

He bought more since then for Christmas, this time looking at their own toys to see what they liked and going from there. He got them five a piece, each one wrapped in their favorite color with a 'From Santa' written on it, each one hidden in his office closet, behind a few suitcases, since no one bothered to enter his space. He knew if he wrote his own name, they would have probably stayed wrapped and unwanted. He hoped that they would love Santa's gifts.

Breakfast, lunch, and dinners were all quiet affairs. No matter what conversation Naruto would try to have, it always seemed to die quickly. He'd ask the boys a question and get a yes or no shake in answer. He'd ask Sasuke a question and get a quick response, and through it all, he felt like they were waiting for something. But he couldn't figure out what. What did they want of him? Was he being a terrible husband and father? Did he offend them unknowningly? Or did they just want him gone?

He had seen his boys more active, more loving toward other people in their family when they came to visit. Hell, he had seen Sasuke more of the little bird he remembered when someone else was around and he wasn't. They responded to other people in a way Naruto knew they would never respond to him.

And Sasuke...

He may have shared a bed with his wife, but the one time they had made love just felt wrong. It felt forced on Sasuke's part. Like he didn't want to even touch him. Naruto had simply finished, gaining no pleasure, believing Sasuke was just doing his wife-ly duty. Since that night, Naruto had stayed on his side of the bed, not even touching his wife no matter how badly he ached to reach out. He didn't kiss Sasuke anymore. Didn't touch him. Didn't seek him out. Sasuke was always so busy with things for the kids or with things around the house, that Naruto felt like a burden.

With a sigh leaving his lips, Naruto went into the kitchen to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Sasuke had taken Kurama to karate, -as he had been doing every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at five- this being the Christmas party. Naruto had wanted to go, had even offered to go the first time, but the stunned look on Kurama's face had quickly changed his answer to 'I'll see you when you get back'. Madara had went today with them. Izuna had been sleeping when they left so he had stayed behind today.

Hearing light footsteps heading toward him, Naruto lifted his head and spotted Izuna with the little dog he seemed to favor watching him. Just looking at the dog hurt. Why couldn't Izuna love his little stuffed fox like he loved this dog? "Are you hungry?" he asked his son, getting a hesitant nod in return. With a soft smile for his son, he finished up the P B and J, cutting it in half, and placed it on the table for Izuna, before going back to make his own. After a longer hesitation, in which Naruto was almost done eating the second sandwich at the counter, Izuna moved toward the table and climbed on the chair. With the dog sitting beside him on the table, he lifted the sandwich to his mouth.

"NO!" Sasuke screamed, running into the room and smacking the sandwich from his little hand, scaring Izuna into tears.

"Sasuke, what's wro-"  
"How could you give him peanut butter!" Sasuke screamed at him as he took Izuna quickly to the sink and washed his hands, "Did you eat any, baby?"

"Sasuke-"

"Naruto, you idiot!" Sasuke glared at him. "He's deathly allergic to peanuts! Why is that even in the house!"

"I bought some last night. Sasuke, I'm sorry, I didn't kno-"

"Of course not, you don't even try to know us!" Sasuke shouted, holding Izuna to his side. By the door both Madara and Kurama watched them wide eye. In Sasuke's arm, Izuna sniffled and wiped at his eyes. "It's like you don't even want to know us! Now you're trying to kill my son!"

"Sasuke, I swear I didn't know-"

"And who's fault is that?" Sasuke demanded as he stalked off, taking the kids back outside. Before Naruto could even figure out what was happening, they were gone.

With a broken heart, Naruto grabbed the garbage can and threw the peanut butter away, wiping down everything it touched and cleaning it twice to be safe. Grabbing the bag from the can he took it outside and tossed it, uncaring of the the cold air eating at him.

"I'm fucking up their lives. I ruined everything for them." he whispered to himself as he ran a hand through his hair. Slowly the snow fell around him, sticking to his bare arms, burning his bare feet, It was already an inch thick, and still showed signs of getting higher.

It was only a day from Christmas and the only thing he could think to give them, that would make them happy, would be his absence. "...I'm so sorry for everything..."

' \ . |_| . / '

"Itachi, I don't know what to do!" Sasuke cried into his hands as he sat on his brother's couch, the boys playing in their cousins room under his brother-in-law's, Deidara, supervision. "It's like Naruto is pulling farther away from me. Like he doesn't care."

"What happened?" Itachi asked in concern.

"He almost fed Izuna peanut butter!" Sasuke shouted, stunned at what could have happened had he been any later. "He said he didn't know, but how could that be! There's not an ounce of peanut anything anywhere in the house!"

"Sasuke, did you tell him?" Itachi asked, fear for his nephew spiking up. The thought of anything happening to his youngest nephew scared him, to any of his nephews. He knew without a doubt that Naruto would never put his child in harms way, so why did he give him peanut butter?

"I..I.." Sasuke paused trying to remember when or if he told his husband about Izuna's allergy.

"What are you going to do?" Itachi asked instead seeing the emotions passing his brother's face. Sasuke looked lost and confused. He reminded Itachi of a little boy that had been left behind in the park, waiting for someone who looked familiar to come get him, wondering why he was left in the first place.  
This look was odd on his brother. Sasuke was normally in control. He ran his household like a queen, was the picture of a perfect house wife. He never worked a day in his life, instead taking his children to their clubs, schools, and other activites, surviving off of what Naruto made, seeing on how Naruto made enough for them to live an above average decent life. Sasuke didn't have to worry about finacial problems. Every bill was paid by Naruto through his account automatically, making bills almost nonexistant in Sasuke's life. Sasuke was on Naruto's account, allowing him entry to money when they needed something, but otherwise it was left alone to aquire more. Sasuke had a schedual he stuck too. He had a routine that kept everything running smoothly. Sasuke knew what he was doing and what needed to be done six months from now, very much like every one in their family. Sasuke was never unsure of anything or never had to worry about what if's, so why was he now? Naruto loved him, Itachi knew that like he knew his own name, so what was going on?

"I don't know anymore. I love him so much, but I don't think he loves me anymore. Love us. The children are trying to be good for him. They keep the noise down when he's in the room. They know that I want him to relax. I know they just want to jump on him and do everything anyone would want to do with their dad. I know that it's taking all they could to hold back-"

"Why are they holding back?"

"Because of Naruto's wounds. We don't want to cause him more pain. We want him to heal." Sasuke sobbed.

"Maybe Naruto doesn't want that." Itachi suggested as he sat across from Sasuke, wanting to help in anyway he could. "I've seen Naruto, I've spoken to him since he's been home," maybe not about their relationship to this extent. He did remember Naruto asking him about what his kids enjoyed doing and the likes. The Naruto he talked to seemed like he was trying to enter their lives and now Itachi understood why. If what he was hearing was right, it just sounded like Sasuke and the kids were pulling away when all Naruto wanted to do was pull them close. "and it sounds like you guys are pushing him away."

"No," Sasuke shook his head in quick denial. "We wouldn't do that. Not after we waited so long for him to come home. You've seen the kids and how they were before Naruto got here. All they could talk about was Naruto. When he came home and what they'd all do. You know how excited they were."

"I know, Sasuke."

"They even wrote to Santa to send home their dad before they realized he was coming home." Sasuke bit his lip to try and stop himself from crying. "That's all they wanted for Christmas."

"Sasuke-" Itachi tried again.

"He bought toys the other day. I was shocked he bought them. The kids were excited to play with them when we got back home, but they were gone. Every single one. I've searched the whole house and I can't find them anywhere. He won't tell me what he did with them." Sasuke went on. "Kurama wants him so badly to go to his karate class. Naruto was going to go, but then he didn't. Kurama thought it was his fault and through the whole practice, he sat against the wall and watched everyone else. I don't know why Naruto changed his mind. Madara's been on his best behavior. He's trying so hard to be the perfect son. Doing homework on his own, cleaning up his room, keeping the noise down. Izuna wants Naruto to teach him to ride a bike in the garage but he's afraid Naruto would say no. He wants to spend time with his dad."

"Why doesn't he?" Itachi asked. Knowing Naruto as he did, he knew the man would have done whatever his son wanted to do, no matter if he was busy or not. Many things may have changed about his brother-in-law, but family first was still Naruto's way.

"Naruto is always holed up in his office now. He doesn't really come out." Sasuke frowned, wiping at his tears, "The two weeks that he's been home, he's only...he's only touched me once."

"What do you mean?" Itachi frowned, "Sasuke?"

"We've only made love once." Sasuke said softly. "The first night he came home...I was being careful not to hurt him, I was holding myself back from just jumping him. I let Naruto set the pace...he didn't orgasm. It was like he wasn't really there. He did the deed and when it was done, he turned away from me. Since then he hasn't touched me again. I sent him signals, I did everything I could but flat out tell him I want him and he doesn't respond. He sleeps on his side of the bed and doesn't cross the line he set. He sleeps with his back to me as if I'm not there. I don't know what I did wrong. I don't know if I failed him in bed and it's my fault, but I'm not as experianced as most people my age are in sex. I've only ever been with Naruto."

"Sasuke, Naruto is probably still getting things together. The war must have taken its toll on him and he's trying to overcome it. Maybe he feels like he's not adequet enough for you, and like he's failing you. He went from being on the front end to being a family man." Itachi said, trying a different tactic. "Maybe in time-"

"How much time?" Sasuke asked desperatly. "I want my husband back. I want to know I can go up to him and kiss him without fear of being rejected. I want to make love to him. I want him to participate in our kids lives. I want my Naruto back!"

"He won't be the Naruto that left," Itachi said, "But he is still yours. This is a two way street, Sasuke, you have to meet him halfway. Talk to him, speak about what he went through."

"I don't want him to remember the war. I want him to forget it. I don't want him to suffer nightmares."

"Don't talk about the war then. Talk about you and him. Talk about your boys and everything else. Move forward. Just talk to him. You can't get anything by sitting back and waiting. Take the first step."

"What if I push him away? I can't lose him. I love him so much."

"Talk to him. Think about what you want to say on the way home. Today's Christmas Eve. It'll be the best day to get this sorted out so that you guys can enjoy Christmas...show him the letters the kids wrote to Santa."

"I want to give it to Naruto for Christmas. I thought it would be a good present..."

"Go home right now then and talk to him." Itachi advised, handing over a box of kleenex. "We can keep the boys if you like-"

"No, I think we all need to talk together." Sasuke said, wiping at his eyes with a tissue, "Thank you for listening, Itachi."

"You know I'll always listen to you, Sasuke." Itachi grinned, hugging Sasuke and kissing his forehead. "Just show him that you love him. Don't treat him like he's a fragile piece of glass. Treat him like you used to." And maybe he should take his own advise, because like Sasuke, he was also treating Naruto as if he were a complete stranger.

' \ . |_| . / '

Naruto watched from his office window as Sasuke finally came back home. He watched as his lover moved to the side door of his Ford, reaching in to help their children out. Each one looked as if they rather be anywhere but here. Naruto didn't blame them anymore. He knew nothing about his kids, about his wife. He was a failure as a father and they deserved better.

When they slowly made their way inside, he turned toward the pictures on his desk, showing him and Sasuke in their wedding suits, Kurama in both of their arms. Next to that picture was a portrait of all three of his children at least three years ago, each sitting in a row with Kurama in the back, Madara sitting between his legs, and Izuna sitting between Madara's, each boy holding onto the one in front. Their smiles were big and their eyes were filled with uncensered happiness. Completely carefree. Next to that picture was one of all three of his sons and Sasuke, taken only two months ago, the one he also had in his wallet. Sasuke was sitting in the middle, Kurama was standing to his right, Izuna was sitting in his lap, and Madara was kneeling to the left. Again they looked so happy.

With a sigh, he picked up the last picture, listening as the front door opened and closed. He heard their footsteps in the hallway, heading toward the living room and then the sound of the tv echoing up.

Looking around his office, Naruto knew that his time to go had come and gone. He was pass due. He wanted his family to be happy, wanted them to be like they were in the picture. So long as he was there, he wouldn't be able to give them that.

"Naruto?" Sasuke called, softly knocking on the door. "Are you hungry?"

"...No." he called out, looking at the door. Wanting to run across the floor, fling the door open and pull Sasuke into his arms, begging him to love him again.

"Okay." Sasuke said after a few minutes before heading down stairs again. Each step he took, breaking Naruto's heart, knowing that Sasuke would forever be beyond his door and out of his reach. Sasuke was his little bird and no little bird wanted to be kept locked away.

Moving toward the closet, he pulled out a suitcase, laying it flat on the floor. Without a second thought, he calmly picked up everything from the shelves and placed them all gently within the bag. With each item, another memory would pop up, bringing tears and a smile to his face. When the bag was filled with as much as it would hold, he moved to grab the second suitcase, slightly smaller then the first, and put in the rest of his belongings within. The last thing to enter the bag was his little fox. "I guess everything comes to an end. We had our time, little buddy, now it's someone elses turn." kissing the fox's nose, he put it in the bag and zipped it up. Looking around the empty office, he felt like this was what it was meant to be, though he hated it. Waiting for the real man of the house to fill it up and take over. To do everything Naruto had no clue at.

To win the love of his family.

Shaking his head, he moved out of the office, closing the door on his way out, and headed toward the garage. Sending a small smile to his children and a 'I'm just cleaning up some' as they stared at him, he rolled the bags to the garage, and placed them in the corner by the red tool box. Getting a marker from the shelf toward the left of the tool box, he wrote in big black letters 'GARBAGE' on both of them. The garbage wouldn't be picked up until next Tuesday anyway, by then he wouldn't even be here. He wouldn't have to see himself being completely wiped out of their lives.

Moving back toward his office, he sent his kids another smile as he headed upstairs, completely missing Sasuke's hopeful look as he came out of the kitchen, only to turn into a soft sigh as he went back. Closing the door to the office behind him, he moved back to the desk and picked up the phone.

"Hello?" came a softer voice then what Naruto was used to.  
"Hello, I'm sorry for calling so late. This is Naruto Namikaze, I'm looking for Hid-"

"Oh, you're one of my husband's boys!" the person said happily. "He talks about you all the time. Says he wouldn't trade you or the others for anyone else. Just the other day he was going on and on about y-"

"Haku, babe, why do you always embarrase me!" Naruto heard Hidan grumble in the background as Haku started giggling. "Which one are you and if you speak of what you heard, your as-butt is history. Haku I said butt, stop pinching me."

"Captain." Naruto said simply.

"Lieutenant." Hidan growled.

"Does your offer still stand?" Naruto asked, getting serious.

"Are you sure?" Hidan replied after a long hesitation.

"No, but..."

"I'm sorry, Naruto." Hidan said softly.  
"It's not your fault." Naruto answered, choking on his words as a sob tried to break through. Without saying good-bye, he hung up the phone and cried into his closed fist.

' \ . |_| . / '

Long after Sasuke finally went to bed, Naruto allowed another hour to go by. He had yet to leave the office, didn't even bothering answering any of Sasuke's calls when his lover called to him. He wanted to answer but each time he opened his mouth, he wanted to scream and cry instead. With a tired sigh, he rubbed at is aching eyes with the heels of his hands as he moved toward the closet, that he hid all the presents within. Taking them down stairs in three separate trips, he placed them around the tree, fixing a few things around, before he moved back upstairs to his bedroom. He found Sasuke fast asleep on his side, facing the window, his hair hiding his face. The covers pulled up to his waist, showing off the white long sleeve t-shirt that he favored for a nightshirt. Naruto knew without looking that he would also have a matching pair of sweatpants on as well.

With a broken heart, he moved quietly toward their closet and grabbed his duffle bag from the top shelf. As silently as he could, he packed in his clothes, filling the bag to the brink before knotting it up at the end. Grabbing his uniform from behind the door, he placed it over his shoulder, and looked once more at Sasuke again. Wanting to kiss him one more time, instead, he turned away and walked out of his lover's room.

Closing the door behind him, he looked at the partially opened doors of his sons rooms, each one lit with a nightlight, but hiding his greatest treasures away from view.

Feeling the ache beating at his heart, he whispered an "I love you" to them all as he headed quietly down the stairs.

' \ . |_| . / '

Izuna frowned when he woke up and the sun wasn't out. He had never done that before. He always woke up when the sun was shining in his face or his Mama woke him up. Unsure of what woke him, he simply hugged the unwanted dog close to his chest and tried to fall asleep again, before he thought he heard his Daddy's voice.

Lifting his head, he tried to peek through the almost closed door but didn't see anything. When he heard soft thumps on the stairs, he felt himself freeze for a moment, thinking a monster was out there. But then he remembered his Daddy was in the house and wouldn't let the monsters get him. Feeling brave, he climbed out of his big boy bed and quietly tip-toed toward the door and pulled it slowly open. Not seeing anything right away, he moved toward the stairs and peeked through the side railings.

"Daddy?" He whispered quietly, frowning at his Daddy putting his big brown boots on. Where was he going? Did Santa get stuck on the roof? Was his Daddy going to help him? Or did-why was his Daddy picking up his going-away bag? Why did he get his keys? Why was he leaving? "Daddy!" he shouted, as the door closed behind his Daddy, locking him out in the snow. "No, Daddy!" he screamed again, running to his Mama's room. Pushing open his Mama's door, he jumped onto the bed, shaking his Mama's shoulder. "Mama! Mama! Mama!" he shouted, looking toward the window and seeing the snow fall harder, knowing it was falling on his daddy.  
"Izuna?" His Mama mumbled as he turned over, blinking away his sleep. "What are you doing? You're going to wake up your da-"

"Daddy's leaving!" Izuna cried, his sobs shaking his little body as his tears fell down his face.

"Leaving? Wha-" Sasuek frowned in confusion, still half asleep until he looked at the open closet door. Even without the light on, he knew it was half empty. The shadows that should have been there were gone. "Naruto..." he gasped, pushing the cover off of him and running out of the room to Naruto's office. Throwing the door open, he flicked on the light and held a hand to his mouth to stop his scream. "Naruto!"

Leaving Izuna crying on his bed and his other two sons standing by their open doorway, he flew down the stairs, tripping over the last one, as he ran out the front door. Stunned he watched as Naruto's truck finished pulling out of the driveway, heading down the road. Not even feeling the snow on his bare feet, he screamed Naruto's name as he ran after the retreating truck. When it stopped at the four way, only to turn left, Sasuke flew across an open yard and then another, vaulting over the fence and then forcing the front gate open. Just as the truck turned the corner heading toward the freeway, Sasuke skidded into the middle of the road.

Shivering, but unfeeling toward the snow or the cold, he watched with tears falling down his face as Naruto's truck came to a stop six feet in front of him, his headlights lighting him up and blinding him and still Sasuke didn't move.

When the driver's door opened, Naruto came out, a frown on his face. "Sasuke?" was all he said before Sasuke ran at him, throwing his arms around him and kissing him with all he had.

He let Naruto feel everything he had been holding back since he got home. He let every need and ache free as he held onto his husband, kissing him like he'd die without him. When Naruto's arms came around him, an arm around his waist and a hand in his hair, Sasuke jumped up, wrapping his legs around his husband's waist and pulled him closer.

"What are you doing?" Naruto panted as he pulled back, their foreheads leaning against each other. "You'll freeze to death."

"Don't leave me." Sasuke cried softly, lifting his gaze to look into Naruto's own tormented eyes. Seeing pain that shouldn't have been there. "I love you, don't leave me."

"Let me get you home, Sasuke," Naruto said finally, turning around as he put Sasuke down on the driver's seat.

"Us home. Get us home, Naruto. I love you, Naruto." Sasuke said again, not letting go, afraid that Naruto would disappear for good if he did.  
"I love you too, Sasuke." Naruto answered, standing on the railing of the truck to get in. Only then did Sasuke let go, moving only far enough in for Naruto to sit behind the wheel. Once he was seated, Sasuke moved quickly to his side, wrapping his body around him and hugging him tightly. No matter what he did, he couldn't stop the tears and the silent sobs. Feeling an extra jacket wrap around him made Sasuke realize how cold he actually was. His feet were frozen, his shirt was wet in places and sticking to his skin. His sweat pants were in the same condition.

Feeling one of Naruto's hands wrap around his own, that clung to the front of his shirt, Sasuke watched as the truck pulled into a driveway only to reverse and head the way they came. As they made the slow short journey back home, Sasuke allowed himself to breathe properly.

Once at the house, Sasuke reached out and turned off the truck, holding the keys tightly in his hand as Naruto carried him into the house, not even saying anything. Their sons were by the door, each with tears and clinging onto one another, shivering with the cold but none of them wanting to close the door.

When Naruto put him down, Sasuke kept a hand on his lover's arm, making sure to keep him by his side as he smiled tearfully at his children as Naruto shut the door. "Everything's okay." he told them all.

When none of them said anything, each looking at Naruto instead, Naruto knelt before them. "You want to see what Santa got you, don't you?" He asked them, a grin in place. Getting a negative shake from each of them, he lost his grin. "Santa-"

"He came already." Madara answered him, pointing toward the tree and seeing all the presents underneath. "But Santa might be dumb."

"Dumb?" Naruto frowned, feeling like he was just slapped.

"Yeah," Kurama nodded. "Santa already gave us what we wanted."

"Oh," Naruto answered, thinking of kicking himself. Could he do no right for his kids? God damn it!

Feeling a tug on his jacket, he looked into Izuna's beautiful gaze. "I asked Santa for two things."

Stunned that his son was even talking to him, Naruto could only nod at the seriousness of Izuna's tone.

"Why don't we have Christmas early?" Sasuke suggested, prompting them toward the Christmas tree. With his hold on Naruto, he sat his husband down on one of the chairs, keeping Naruto's extra jacket wrapped around him. He was warmer now, his toes finally getting feeling back in them with the heat of the room. "Okay, Kurama, why don't you pass around the presents." Sasuke advised, sitting on Naruto's lap and tucking his head beneath his chin. Feeling Naruto's arms wrap around him, he smiled around hist tears into his husband's chest as he watched Kurama separate the presents and with a go ahead, each of them tore into the pretty gift wrapped boxes, gasping at what they found inside.

"It's not in here!" Izuna said with a frown in place, bottom lip wobbling.  
"What's not in there, Izuna?" Sasuke asked as the children watched Izuna rub at his eyes.

"I asked nicely Mama, like you said. I told him what I wanted, but Santa didn't give it back." Izuna got out. "I looked, and I looked, but it's not here." Before anyone could answer, Izuna ran out of the room and up the stairs.

"Why don't you boys show your dad the toys, I'll be right back." Sasuke said, kissing Naruto, and running up the stairs after Izuna, the keys held firmly in his hands.

Leaving Naruto to try and figure out what was going on. What could have upset Izuna so badly? What did he forget?

"Dad, there's a present for you and mom under here!" Kurama called, coming up from under the tree and holding a navy blue box, that usually held clothes within, and a package that Naruto bought for Sasuke.

"Thank you," he told his son as Kurama and Madara stood in front of him, waiting expectantly for him to open it. Tilting the box on its side, he dislodged the tape on all four sides before placing it on his lap. Lifting the lid, he found white tissue paper with a little folded piece of paper on top. Picking it up he read the letter, knowing right away that it was Sasuke's hand writting.

_To Naruto,_

_Always know that you mean the world to us, to me._

_That we love you._

_And will forever ask Santa that he bring you home to us._

_For Christmas, my gift to you is to let you rest in peace. Just remember next year is around the corner and you will belong to us. Forced to participate in everything we let you slide on this month._

_Love you more than every forever promise,_

_Sasuke._

_P.S. now that you're back, you will put everything you own where it belongs. Now that you're home, I don't have to cry and wish you were here. _

Feeling tears in the corner of his eyes, he smiled as he placed the note on the arm of the chair and moved the tissue paper. The first thing he saw was a thin glass frame. Within it was one letter.

_Dear Santa,_

_I know I'm not always a good kid. I try to be nice and listen, but sometimes it's not easy. But I promise on my favorite game, and my mom's heart, that I'll try even harder to be the best kid ever next year. I know everyone always writes to you to ask for toys and video games, but I don't want that stuff. Sure it would be cool, but what I want for Christmas can't be bought in stores. All I want for Christams, Santa, is to have my dad home with me. I miss him a lot and I cry when he's not here. So please give me my Dad. When you bring him home to me, I want you to make sure he never leaves again. _

_Love Kurama._

Naruto felt the first tear fall down his face as he read Kurama's letter again, the picture at the bottom filling his heart with joy as he saw all of them side by side, and holding hands.

Putting the frame down, he reached into the box for the next one.

_Dear Santa,_

_My name is Madara Namikaze. I'm six years old and I have two brothers. I live with my mom, but I really want my dad to live with us too. I know he's doing important stuff, but I think he should be done with that now, don't you?_

_I miss him, please send him home and I'll never ask for another toy again._

_Love Madara._

"Are you okay, Dad?" Kurama asked, as Naruto wiped at his eyes, looking at Madara's own picture of stick figures drawn in crayon.

"I'm fine." Naruto smiled at his son, reaching for the last frame.

"What did Santa give you to make you cry?" Madara asked, trying to look at the frames. If Santa was being mean to his dad, he was going to tell his wife and then Mrs. Santa would deal with him for being naughty.

"Things that make me happy." Naruto smiled at his children as he turned the first two frames over for them to see.

"Hey, our letters to Santa!" Kurama said in shock. "How did you get them?"

"I told Santa I wanted something special for Christmas." Naruto said as the kids held their own letters.  
"Are these special?" Madara asked, hopefully.  
"More special then anything else Santa could have given me." Naruto told him, watching as both of them filled up with pride and grinned at one another.

"Do you have Izuna's letter too? Maybe Santa forgot to read it all the way!" Kurama said as they all looked at the last frame.

_Deer Santa_

_I want my Daddie 4 chrismes._

_Luv Izuna._

_And may u ask my Daddie 4 Fox? I mis him._

"Fox?" Naruto frowned before it dawned on him. Gathering the frames and Sasuke's letter, he put them on the coffee table gently as he made his way to the garage. With his sons on his heels, he moved to the bags he placed there and tipped one over.

"Dad?" Madara said as he looked at all the stuff that his Mom had put away in his office. Why was it here? Was his Dad still going to leave? Not if he had anything to do about it, just wait until he told his Mom.

"I forgot to give Izuna something from Santa." Naruto smiled gently at his sons as he pulled out the fox in question. No wonder it looked more tattered then before, Izuna had claimed it as his own. It wasn't forgotten and abandoned. It was well loved by his baby boy.

Leaving the bag on the ground, he steered his kids back inside, "You two play with your toys, okay? I'm going to go get your brother." Kissing their foreheads, he moved toward the stairs, leaving his sons grinning downstairs.

"Maybe Santa wanted us to have more stuff to play with, you know, to celebrate Dad coming home?" Kurama questioned as he knelt by his toys. They looked pretty cool and it would be rude to send them back to Santa.

"Mom said we should be grateful for Christmas and be in the holiday spirit." Madara nodded as he grabbed a new action figure and a box of hotwheels.

"Well we don't want to make Mom mad." Kurama grinned at his brother.

' \ . |_| . / '

Sasuke tried to figure out why Izuna was crying. He tried asking his son, but his baby boy's answers were muffled through the pillow. "Izuna, it's okay."

"No!" Izuna cried harder, breaking Sasuke's heart. Hearing the door open, he sent a confused look toward his husband as Naruto walked into the room, a hand behind his back. Watching as Naruto moved toward the otherside of the bed, Sasuke wondered what he was up to.

"Izuna?" Naruto said, sitting on the bed beside him, making it squeek in protest.

"Daddy, Santa didn't listen!" Izuna said, lifting his head to look at him, tears falling heart breakingly down his face. "I was a nice boy all year and he didn't listen!" He cried.

"No, baby," Naruto shook his head, wiping away his tears as he pulled Izuna into his lap, placing whatever he had in his hand on the floor by his feet. "Santa listened perfectly, but I didn't pay attention."  
"Huh?" Izuna hiccuped, rubbing at his eyes as he held onto Daddy's neck, loving the way his Daddy held him. No monster would ever scare him again, they'd be too afraid to scare him now.

"Santa told me what you wanted, baby, it's my fault not Santa's." Naruto told his son, "You see Santa came to visit me, and we had a long talk."

"You did?" Izuna asked in disblief. His Daddy met Santa? Izuna met his workers in the mall, but he never met the _real _Santa. Shisui said the Santa in the mall was a fake. His Mama and his Uncle Itachi got mad at Shisui and said that the real Santa only came out on Christmas Eve and his look-a-like workers were the ones that worked in the mall.

"Yeah, we talked about everything, but I did a naughty move and didn't listen correctly to what he was telling me." Naruto admitted gravely.

"Why?" Izuna gasped in shock at someone not paying attention to Santa.

Lifting his gaze from Izuna's own, Naruto looked into Sasuke's eyes and said, "Because what I wanted the most for Christmas was to have you four in my life." at Sasuke's trembling grin, Naruto looked down at Izuna, " I didn't even listen to what he was telling me at all. I was being selfish, but now I'm listening better."

"So you now 'member what Santa told you?" Izuna asked hopefully.

"I sure did, baby." Naruto nodded, grinning down at his son as he reached toward the ground and picked up the fox.

"FOX!" Izuna shouted happily, taking the fox into his arms and squeezing him tightly. "Thank you, Daddy! Thank you!" he went on, kissing Naruto's cheek as he ran out of the room to show is brothers that Santa read his letter.

"You made his life." Sasuke said, moving toward his husband when Naruto pulled him across the small bed. Laughing softly, he let his lover carry him out of the room and into their own. When Naruto sat on the bed, Sasuke moved around to straddle his husband, his hands clasped around Naruto's neck.

"You made mine first." Naruto answered, leaning toward Sasuke, kissing him softly. "I couldn't ask for a better gift."

"Naruto-" Sasuke said, wanting to clear up everything between them and their stupid mistakes that almost drove them apart.

"It's in the past, little bird." Naruto grinned. "We'll just say we're both idiots."

"Idiots in love." Sasuke answered in kind, kissing his husband again, leaning forward until Naruto fell back against the bed. Feeling his shirt getting tugged on, Sasuke allowed it to be completely removed, before doing the same to Naruto's own. "If you ever try to leave me again, I will sell your truck to the next person that walks by the house for a dollar, and then chain you to the house for life."

"Kinky." Naruto chuckled, kissing Sasuke agian. "So long as I can reach the bed, I'm game."

"Naruto?" Sasuke gasped as Naruto flipped them over. Wrapping his legs around Naruto's waist, he pulled his lover down for a kiss.

"Yeah?" Naruto asked, kissing his way down his neck.

"If you ever hold back in sex again, I'm going to cut _it_ off and use it as a dildo." Sasuke remarked, bringing a surprise laugh from his husband.

"I fucking love you." Naruto chuckled, just resting above him.

"You are in a civilized house, Naruto." Sasuke warned as he ran a calming hand down his husband's back. "But I love you too."

"Mom, you didn't open your present!" Kurama shouted up the stairs, the sounds of toys going off behind him.

"I already got what I wanted for Christmas," he whispered into Naruto's ear as he nipped at the tip.

"Hmmm, what's say we get something else we both want for Christmas?" Naruto said, the sexy grin that Sasuke remembered from the past in place.

"Why Mr. Namikaze, I believe we are finally on the same page." Sasuke grinned, feeling his body heat up.

"No, little bird, we are finally in the same book."

' \ . |_| . / '

"Hey, dad?" Kurama shouted as they came in through the front door, distracting Izuna as he and Fox colored in his coloring book on the table, and Madara as he wrote carefully on a piece of paper.

"Hm?"

"We totally made Nibi eat her words again, huh?" Kurama asked as he came around the corner, his face slightly sweaty and his uniform in need of a good washing. Sasuke suspected the two went out for ice cream, the stains on Kurama's clothes being the key evidence.

"We sure did," Naruto said, coming behind him, looking a bit scruffy and in need of a shave. Sasuke knew that the reason Naruto had yet to shave since Sunday was because Kurama had wanted him to look _mean _and _stuff _so that Nibi could see how cool his dad was and how much better his dad was then hers, as he wanted for his first, and now only, class each week. From the grins on both of their faces, Sasuke knew they succeeded at it. "I think we made her jaw hit the ground."

Laughing, Kurama sat at the kitchen table, his eyes following his dad moving around the counter to his mom's side as his mom made dinner. "You sure had them all spooked. You didn't even smile once and everyone thought you were so cool!"

"Well I have a reputation to live up too. Cool people like me gotta be firece and scary looking." Naruto said knowingly, getting elbowed in the stomach by Sasuke as he came behind him. "Of course, your mom could so take on any bad guy out there." he grinned, kissing Sasuke's shoulder as he hand fell on the baby bump beneath Sasuke's, or should he say his own, t-shirt.

"I know, mom already scares them all." Kurama nodded. "But now everyone knows my dad is cooler, especailly when you showed Lee Sensei what you knew. I don't think I've ever seen anyone take him down but Mo-"

"You beat up his teacher?" Sasuke demanded, turning narrowed eyes on Naruto.

"Now little bird-"

"Don't little bird me! Naruto, I pay that man to teach my son karate!"

"And Dad punched his lights out!" Kurama added, not understanding Naruto's hand motion across his neck, signifying for him to stop.

"You punched him!"

"Sasuke, it wasn't my fault!" Naruto said quickly, wishing someone would come in and save him from his wife. Where was Itachi when he needed him! Oh right, on a family vacation in Rio. What about Sasuke's parents...oh yeah they went to Japan to visit family. His own dad? Went to visit an old student. His cousin Pain...off with Konan and Nagato. Suigetsu...oh yeah, trying to get out of the dog house and into his own, but Karin wasn't having any of that. He could try running to Hidan again, but Hidan had told him he was uninvited when he cancled on him the last time, saying he was happy that he figured things out, but pissed because Haku was all depressed, though they did invite Naruto and his family for Fourth of July. And damn, he was out of people. "He wanted to see what a solider could do! I told him no but he wouldn't hear of it. He just kept jumping around on the mat waving me over with that taunting hand manuver."

"So you went on the mat and punched him?" Sasuke questioned.

"Well, not at first, I went on the mat, after months of ignoring him mind you, because if I didn't, Kurama would have lost the cool status. Being scary only does so much for him."

"He's right mom, he won me points in class!" Kurama nodded in pride. "Now everyone thinks I'm super cool!"

"Kurama." was all Sasuke said, gaining instant silence. "Naruto, I'm waiting."

"I told him I didn't know karate again. Which I don't. I said I only knew boxing and wrestling moves. He said that they would do and then he kicked me!"

"He kicked you?" Sasuke gaped.

"Yes, but I blocked it and told him I couldn't fight him. Then he went on about youth and blah, blah, blah, and kicked at me again. I was getting annoyed, so the next time he kicked me, I punched him, but he moved the wrong way and I hit him in the jaw and he just, I don't know, passed out..." Naruto forced a chuckle, a strained smile on his face as he rubbed at the back of his head. "If anything, you should go get mad at him. Show him what seven months in a pregnancy can do. Go defend my honor!"

"Oh, he's scared of mom!" Kurama piped up again, "Mom knocked him out too!"

"Did he now?" Naruto asked, grinning down at his flushing wife.

"Yeah, he said mom was unyouthful for not smiling when I first joined. When he tried to make mom smile, mom punched him!"

"Now why haven't I heard about this before?" Naruto went on, tauntingly.

"Do you want dinner or not?" Sasuke snapped, turning back to the stove.

"How cute, little bird, you're embarrased." Naruto whispered into Sasuke's ear. "You know that's kind of sexy-"

"The last time you gave me that smile, I ended up pregnant." Sasuke flushed, as Naruto rubbed his swollen belly.

"Well, then we have nothing to worry about." Naruto laughed, moving back to avoid the spoon. "Okay, tonight then. Izuna, let's get you off your training wheels today."

"Okay!" Izuna grinned, putting his crayon down and running toward his dad with Fox in hand.

"I'll help too!" Kurama said following them out the side door.

"Mom?" Madara called as he put the materials on the table in the drawer by the fridge.

"Yeah?" Sasuke answered, watching Naruto come out of the garage with a tool in hand, Izuna holding the other, and the bike trailing behind him as Kurama pushed it forward.

"Can you give this to Santa? I thought I should give this to him before this Christmas comes around." Madara asked holding up a piece of paper that he had colored.

"Alright," Sasuke nodded, taking the paper gently and waiting until Madara walked outside to join the other three. Turning the paper over, Sasuke held a hand to his lips as he held back a laugh.

_Dear Santa,_

_Thank you for giving us our dad. _

_Love Madara._

_P.S. Can you come and get our baby sister, she has cooties. Maybe you can leave another baby brother in my mom's belly or maybe a puppy? Can we have a puppy instead?_


End file.
